The present invention relates to an apparatus for automated actuation of a torque transmitting system, such as for example a clutch, a friction clutch, a disc clutch or a torque converter with a bypass (lockup) clutch, in the power train of a vehicle with a driving aggregate (prime mover), such as a combustion engine, and a transmission, with a control unit which communicates with sensors and eventually (if necessary) with other electronic units, and with an actuator or actor which can be activated by the control unit to actuate the torque transmitting system, the control unit being activated for example in response to turning on of the ignition system of the vehicle.
The invention further relates to an apparatus for automated actuation of a transmission in the power train of a vehicle with a driving aggregate (prime mover) and a torque transmitting system, with a control unit which communicates with sensors and eventually with other electronic units and which is activated, for example, in response to activation of the ignition system of the vehicle, with an actuator or actor which is activatable by the control unit to actuate the transmission, such as to shift into different gear ratios.
In such an apparatus, the control unit remains activated when the ignition system of the vehicle is activated in order to ensure that an automated actuation of an aggregate can be carried out at any time.
In a conventional apparatus, the control unit is deactivated, as a rule, immediately after the turning off of the ignition system or shortly thereafter in order to ensure a reliable engagement of the clutch and in order to be in a position to store information (data). This interval of time is within the range of one second so that, for example, one cannot further monitor (follow) long-range effects of the torque transmitting system. Such a long-range effect is, for example, the thermal behavior of the torque transmitting system which relaxes only with a rather long interval following the stoppage of the vehicle (turning off of the ignition), i.e., the temperature of the torque transmitting system varies for an extended interval of time following a stoppage of the vehicle and the turning off of the ignition system. For example, if such data pertaining to the temperature of the torque transmitting system are not determined by resorting to a relatively expensive sensor which is likely to fail, it is advisable to calculate the temperature of the torque transmitting system. The calculation and storing of data, such as for example, temperature data, takes place only when the control unit is active (operative).